Annunciator



C. P. EVANS, M. L. GREENSTREET, AND W. DAY.

' 'ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. .15.:921. 1,43O,364 PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

6 fnamdarai 61 A fvana, fill. qreemireei' i K fly C. P. EVANS, M. L. GREENSTREET, AND W. DAY.

ANNUNCIATOR. v 1 APPLICATION mmuov. 15. 1921.

1,430,364. PatentedSept. 26,1922. I

3 SHEETSSHEET '2- v I a! ace a -C. P. EVANS, M. L. GREENSTREET, AND W. DAY. ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION man nov.15, 1921.

1,480,364. Patented Sept. 26, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

a 2 a a v I a ramm d Sept. as, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE 1e. Evans, or sr. LOUIS, AND MrLrnnn L, snnnnsrnnnr Ann WALLACE DAY, or MArLnwoon, ivrrssoonr; SAID GannNs'rR-EET AND SAID D YAssIeNoRs T0 SAID EVANS.

' ANNUNCIATOR.

Application filed November 15, 1921. Serial No. 515,400.

To all whom, it may concern:

' Be it knownthat we, CLYDE P. Evans, Minrnnn IJ. GnnnNs'rnnnr, and lVAIJLAon DAY, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, Maplewood, and Maplewood, hiissouri, respectively, have invented a certain new and useful Improve ment in Annunciators, of which the following is a'full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of our improved annunciator.

Fignr 'e 2 is a plan view of a part of the casing :rrame. x

ligure 3 is a vertical sectional view looking at the left hand end of the device.

Figure 4: is a vertical sectional view taken at about the center of the device.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device.

Figure 6 is a plan viewof the mechanism which is arranged. on the. base of the an nunciator. v V

This invention relates to a new and use ful improvement in annunciators, the object being to control an electriocircuit with a time train whereby a signal, audible or visible, or both, will be soundechor flashed or released, at a predetermined period or periods of time. 7

Our present invention is designed as a self-contained instrument to. be used on a desk or some other appropriate object whereby the operator, or others, by positioning one or more keys may be advised by; sound or visible signal that a certain time has been reached.

The device is particularly adapted for notices of appointments or-engagcments, but may be used. for ringing class period bells, or for operating starting or quitting signals in ofiice-or factory.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a base, preferably made of wood or some other insulation material, and 2 is the casing or housing which encloses the apparatus. This housing is provided with sight openings 2 and Q" in its front wall, through the former of which revolving time indicatingcylinder may be seen, and through the latter of which positionable keys may be operated.

3 indicates frame plates extending upwardly from the base to one of which is mounted a time train mechanism indicated generally by numeral 4: to the hour staff or arbor of which is frictionally secured a cylinder 5. This cylinder, as shown in Figure 2, is pro vided with a series of spirally arranged pins or projections 6, and the cylinder itself is provided on its periphery with a spiral division line dividing the surface of the cylinder into two equal divisions, one

of said divisions being preferably colored so that one portion of the cylinder is black or red and the other portion white, the line of division passing a time scale 7 located between the openings 2 and 2 and the color line being visible through the former. The time of day can be readily ascertained by observing through the opening 2 the line of division, the point at which said line intersects scale 7 being the correct time. One of the divisions or spaces, and preferably the one indicating the lapsed time, is black or colored so as to assist in reading the scale 7. This scale is preferably divided into hours and fractions of an hour, shown in the drawings, indicating the time between six oclock in themorning and six oclock in the afternoon with quarter hour intervals represented by the numerals 15, and between the larger hour numerals. 1

As shown in Figure 1, the division between the colore'd and uncolored spaces on cylinder 5 represents twelve oclock noon,

and as the cylinder revolves ina clockwise direction, as seen from the right, hand end of the apparatus, this divlslon line Wlll advance gradually'to the tftfilIlOOHpGllOdS of "time. i i

This apparatus is constructed so that the cylinder will make a complete revolution every twelve hours; but it is obvious thatit could be so constructed as to revolve in a. shorter or greater length of time, according to the desires of the constructor.

8 indicates a bar arranged in juxtaposition to the cylinder 5 and insulated from plates 8towhich it is fixed, and 9 represents flat metal keys secured to and insulated from the plates 3 at their lower ends and partially embracing the bar 8, their upper or inner ends being formed with shoulders whereby when said keys are pressed inwardly their upper ends will be engaged over the bar 8,

as shown in Figure 41-, and be retained in such position until one of the pins 6 on the cylinder will engage, lift and release the positioned key. These pins 6 and the keys 9 with which they cooperate are shown in the present apparatus as being successively engageable in fifteen minute periods. f the operator desires a signal to be flashed or sounded at any time within the range of the hour scale, the appropriate key for that time is pressed inwardly, as shown in Figures 2 and 4;. The key so positioned. will be retained in its adjusted position until a pin 6 in the revolution of cylinder 5 engages the inner end of the key and releases it.

i0 indicates an electric battery, one pole of which is connected to contact spring 11 by means of a wire 12 (see Figure 6). This spring; 11 has its free end controlled by an arm 13 extending inwardly from a door 14: mounted in the front wall of easing 2. iVhen door 14: is closed, its arm 13 lies undo a latch extension on an armature 16 designed to be attracted by magnets 17 energized by the battery circuit when said circuit is closed The armature 16 and magnet 17 form part of. a well known buzzer, one pole of which is connected by wire 18' to a contact 19 lying), under spring 11, and the other pole of which is connected by a wire 20 to the metal keys 9. A contact bar 21 is located. to one side of contact 19, and overlies spring 11. This bar 21 is connected by means of wire 22 to an electric lamp 23 whose other terminal is connectedhy a wire connection 24 to wire 20 thereby comiiilctingthe circuit between the lamp and. metal keys 9. Hence. when the door 1 1- is closed, it is held closed by armature latch 15, but when the magnets are onergized, the door 1- 1; is released and permitted to swing open at the same time sp infi ll. rises and, makes contact with the bar 21, whereby a circuit is completed through wire 22 and electric lamp 23 and wires 2420 to metal keys 9, and the buzzer circuit is cut out by reason of spring 11 breaking con tact with bar 19. Thus, whenever one of the pins 6 makes electric contact with a positioned key 9, the buzzer circuit will be potentially completed so that when its mag nets are energized, door 14L will be pernitted to open, the opening movement of the door cutting out the buzzer circuit and cutting in the lamp circuit so that a visible signal will be displayed.

lVhile this is our preferred construction, itis, of course, obvious that the audible sip;- nal can be left in circuit while the visible signal is displayed; but, in either event. it is desirablethat the time which the audible signal is sounded or the visible signal is displayed be limited so as to save the battery. We prefer to construct the apparatus above described. in such a manner that when will rec uire one of the .ins

3 in obese oa h of travel is located a predetermi red time, say, five to eight minn xs after the engagement of the pin with the ray. before the key is released and breaks the circuit thus potentially completed. It is further desirable that the signals, audible or visible, be sounded or displayed for a shorter period of time. say, ve to fifteen seconds. and in order that this may be acr-oniplis-ihed. the time train is eipiipped with a contact niakin disk or arm Figure 5?) which i'nakes a (:oinpl 1e revolution for each fractional portion of an hour in dicaled on the hour scale 7. The projection on this disk is designed to t mporarily 1 9 set, it

complete a circuit from the ground or mework of the mechanism and contact point 26 arranged to project through an insulation block 2'? on a spring arm 28 suspended from an insulation blocla: secured. to one of the frame plates 3. The opposite pole of the battery is connected by a wire 30 to the yielding contact carrying the point 26. T he bar 8 before referred to is insulated from the frames by means of insulation pieces 8 and the keys 9 are insulated from the casing 2 by means of insulation strips 9 In this manner, when a key 9 is positioned and is engaged by a pin 6 to be iifted or disengaged the battery cir cult is 'iotentially completed, and during this engagement between pin 6 and key 9, the projection on disk 25 will pass the contact 26 and complete the battery circuit. As stated before. the time required for a pin 6 to and reset one of the keys 9 may be fire or e' 1e minutes, and durine this interval the projection on disk will make con tact with 26 and complete the buzzer circuit for a period of, say fifteen seconds. Upon the completion of the buzzer circuit. the armature will unlatch the door 141:, permit ting); said door to drop, and consequently the free end. of spring; 11 will rise out of engagement with bar 1!) and into engagement w th bar 21 thus cutting out the buzzer circuit and cutting: in the lamp circuit.

lf it 1 1 at the buzzer circuit alone shall ren energised throuo hout the period of one :i' of the projection on disk a d con, i (see Figure (l) be manipulated so as to maintain contact between sprinn 11 and bar 19 and prevent contact between Said spring: and bar 21.

In o iieration, the time twin is wound by a suitable key, as usual, and the cylinder properly positioned to indicate the correct time by the division line between its colored portions. If it is desired to direct attention of a person by sound or sight to a given period of time. within the range of the hour scale, the appropriate key or keys 9 are positional, fidjai'cnia keys may he is do battery circuit thereby sounding the audible signal, opening the door H, and flashingthe light, if the handle 81 permits the engagement between spring ll and bar 21, as,

before described. Door 14 may be closed after a signal is sounded or flashed, as the case may be, but the closing of the door does not control the sounding or flashing of subsequent signals.

The position of the door 14 is intended to direct the attention of the observer to the fact that signal has been sounded or dashed, even though the observer may not have been present at the moment.

As shown in the drawings, handle 3i occupies a position whereby spring 11. is adapted to form contact with bar 19 or bar 2i. By moving handle 31 to the opposite position spring 11 is held out of contact with the bar 21 so that only buzzer 17 will operate.

If it is desired that the door alone operate; without action of either light or buzzer, handle 31 is moved to an intermediate position, thereby pressing spring 11 downward so that when the closing of the circuit unlatches arm 13, spring 11 will rise only enough to break the contact with bar 19,-

and will be held by handle 31. in position midway between bars 19 and 21.

lVhat we claim is: j

1. An annunciator having av part movable by a time train, a series of contacts arranged on said movable part, elements each adapted to be moved into a position in the path of movement ol said contacts, an electric circuit, and a signal. placed in operative position upon the completion of said electric circuit by the engagement between one of said time train driven contacts and one of said elements.

An aimunciator having a movable.

member provided, with projection-s sequentially arranged thereon, a clockwork mechanism for operating said movable member, an electric circuit having one terminal electri cally connected to said. projections, contacts electrically connected to the other oi. said terminals and adapted to be selectively post tioned to engage said projections and complete said electric circuit, and a signal operable when said electric circuit is completed.

3. An annunciator having a movable member provided with projections sequentially arranged thereon, a clockwork mechanism for operating said movable member, an electric circuit having one terminal electrically connected to said projections, contacts corresponding to said project-ions electrically connected to the other terminal of sald circuit and adapted to be selectively posltioned to engage said projections and complete said electric circuit, a signal operable when said electric circuit is completed, and auxiliary contacts in said circuit for limiting the operation of said signal.

4;. An annunciator having a movable mem ber provided with projections sequentially arranged thereon, a clockwork mechanism for operating said movablemember, an electric circuit having oneterminal electrically connected to said projections, contacts, cor responding to said projections electrically connected to the other terminal of said circuit and adapted. to be selectively positioned to engage said projectionsand complete said electric circuit, a signal operable when. said electric circuit is completed, and auxiliary contacts in said circuit operable in time relation with. the operation of said movable member and designed to restrict the operation of said signal to a predetermined period of time.

5. An annunciator comprising a train of gearing, a revoluble member operable thereby and provided with a plurality of contacts, an electric circuit, a signal in said circuit and a plurality of yielding members each adapted to be selectively positioned to engage the corresponding contact at a given time, whereby said electric circuit 18 completed and operates said signal.

6. An annunciator comprising a train of gearing, a revoluble member operable thereby, a plurality of contacts arranged 011 said member, an electric circuit, a signal. in said circuit, and a plurality of contact elements adapted to be selectively positioned to successively engage said contacts and complete said circuit.

'7. An annunciator comprising. a train 0 gearing, a revolublc member operable there by, a plurality of contacts arranged on said member, an e ectric circuit, a signal in said circuit, a plurality of contact elements adapted to be selectively positioned. to suecessively engage said contacts and complete said circuit, and auxiliary contacts interposed in said circuit and adapted to main tain said signal operative for a predetermined'period of time. i

8. An annunciator comprising a train of gearing, a revoluble member operable thereby .and having a plurality of contact members arranged on its periphery, an electric circuit, a plurality of contact elements adapted to be positioned in co-operating po-- sitions with corresponding contact members to complete said electric circuit, a signal operable when said electric circuit is completed, and a manually operable switch prising a train of gear ng, a cylindrical mom er operable thereby, plurality of contact men'ibers arranged spirally on said cylinder, an electri circuit, a plura t of contact elements adapted to be selc 'ely positioned. to successively engage said con tact membe 5 and complete said circuit, a signal in said circuit, and auxiliary contact members operable by said train of gearing in synchronism with said cylindrical member and adapted to control said circuit.

device of the class described comprisinga train of gearing, a cylindrical member operable thereby, and having a plurality o'l contact members arranged in alitv cessively engage corresponding contact members, means adapted to operate an audible signal when said electric circuit is completed by the engagement between a contact element and a corresponding contact mem her, and a visible signal operable by said means.

12. An annunciator comprising a train gearing, a cylindrical member operable thereby, a plurality of contact members arranged on the periphery of said cylinder, an electric circuit, a plurality of: conti.

L CA) mcnts adapted to be selectively positioned to engage said contact members, and com plrte said electric circuit, and a visible signal. controlled by said circuit.

13. An annunciator having a part movable by a time train, contacts arranged on said movable part, elements designed to be positioned in the path of movement of said.

contacts, an electric circuit, an audible signal means, a visible signal means, said sig nal means being selectively operable upon the completion. oil the electric circuit by the engagement between said contacts and said elements, and manipulative means for determining the operation of said means.

1%. An annunciator having a part movable by a timetrain, contacts arranged on said movable part, elements designed to be positioned in the path of movement of said contacts, an electric circuit, an audible signal means, a visible signal means, saic sig nal means being operable upon the completion of the electric circuit by the engagenasonea ment between said contacts and said ele ments, and manipulative means for disconnecting either one or both of said audible and Visible signal means.

15. An annunciator having a part movable by a time train, contacts arranged on said movable part, elements designed to be positioned in the path of movement of said contacts, an electric circuit, an audible signal means, a visible signal means, said nal means being operable upon the complction 01? the electric circuit by the engagoment between said contacts and said elements, and manipulative means for disconnecting either one or both of said audible and visible signal means, and means operable in time relation with said movable part for controlling said circuit, whereby the duration of said signals can be limited inde pcndently of said contacts and said elements.

16. An annunciator having a housing, a, cylinder rotatably journaled therein, con tact members spirally rranged on said cylinder, a time train gearing for operating said cylinder, an electric circuit, contact elements adapted to be successively engaged by said contact members for completing said circuit, a signal operable upon the completion of said electric circuit, and displaceable means on said housing releasable by said signal. 7

l7. Bin annunciator having a movable member, contact members arranged on said movable member, a time train gearing for operating said movable member, an electric circuit, contact elements designed to be successively engaged by said contact members for completing said circuit, an audible signal means operable upon the completion of said electric circuit, visible signal means and means releasable by the operation of said audible signal means and adapted to render operative said visible signal means.

18. An annunciator having a movable member, contact members arranged on said movable member, a. time train gearing for operating said movable member, an electric circuit, contact elements designed to be successively engaged by said contact members for completing said circuit, an. audible sig nal means operable upon the completion of said electric circuit, visible signal means, and means releasable upon the operation of said audible signal means to render opera tive said visible signal means and disconnect said audible signal means.

19. An annunciator having a movable member, contact members arranged on said movable member, a time train of gearing for operating said movable member, an electric circuit, Contact means designed to be selectively engaged by said contact members for completing said circuit, signal means operable upon the completion of said electric circuit, and means operable in time relation with said movable member and designed to open said circuit after a given period of time.

20. An anmmciator comprising a movable member provided with a time indicating mark, a plurality of contact members arranged on said movable member in co-operative relation with said mark, means for operating said movable member, an electric circuit, a signal operable when said circuit is completed, contact elements designed to be selectively engaged by said contact members and complete said circuit, and a scale having fractional hour graduations and designed to co-operate with said time indicating mark on said movable part.

21. A device of the class described comprising a signal, a circuit therefor, movable contacts, time train gearing for operating said movable contacts, stationary contacts adapted to-be selectively positioned to suecessively engage said movable contacts at predetermined periods of time and complete said electric circuit whereby said signal is operated, and means for limiting the period of operation of said signal independently of the period of engagement between said contacts.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures this 12th day of November, 1921.

CLYDE P. EVANS. MILFRED L. GREENSTREET. WALLACE DAY. 

